<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A Heart Has Many Rooms by MysticElf21</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29455479">A Heart Has Many Rooms</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticElf21/pseuds/MysticElf21'>MysticElf21</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The A/B/O Manyshippingverse [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime &amp; Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - A/B/O, Manyshipping, Multi, No Smut, Polyamorous Pack, Polyamory, Rare Pairings, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, am i literally the only person in this relationship tag? Yes, its called manyshipping because there's many people in it, marvel at my creativity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:22:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,341</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29455479</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticElf21/pseuds/MysticElf21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Yugi is used to having friends now, and he wouldn't give it up for anything.  It's nice knowing that there are people who have your back when you need it, and he's sure his friends are the best friends anyone could ever ask for.</p>
<p>But recently he's started to want more.  He wants to be a pack with all of his friends, because he can't imagine living life without them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Mutou Yuugi, Mazaki Anzu | Tea Gardner/Mutou Yuugi, Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Yugi Mutou/Jonouchi Katsuya/Yami Yugi/Hiroto Honda/Mazaki Anzu/Bakura Ryou/Kaiba Seto/Mahaad/Mana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The A/B/O Manyshippingverse [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163549</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic exists in defiance of all the sense in me and in defiance of the laws of God, man, and 4kids.</p>
<p>In seriousness, I was telling my friend about how I thought the a/b/o verse genre was a waste of a perfectly good opportunity to write polyamorous relationships and exploring a world where packs and polyamorous relationships are considered the norm.  And then I was like, I'd probably write the Yugi-tachi in a pack, but of course it's a silly fic idea.<br/>My friend:Unless...<br/>And then it was written.  So.  Here we are.  I'm planning on posting another work with notes about the worldbuilding of this universe, so that'll be the next work in the series.<br/>Also as an aside:this takes place in the anime continuity, though there will be references to the manga.<br/>So without further ado, here is the very first Manyshipping fic in the ygo fandom.  (I mean, I sincerely doubt anyone has written it before me) so yeah lets gooo</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, did you hear about the three in Class B?”  Yugi overheard as he walked into school that morning.  “They all got together as a pack!”</p>
<p>“Not surprised.”  The other student said, scoffing.  “They’ve been dancing around it for a while.”</p>
<p>Yugi glanced at them and ducked past the crowd, rushing to his seat and breathing a sigh of relief as he glanced at the clock.  Ms. Chono was the substitute teacher today, and he knew not to press his luck with her.</p>
<p>“Ms. Chono?”  Yami no Yugi materialized next to him, his ghostly visage sitting down on the desk of the student next to him.  The student kept on flipping through his book, even as Yami sat primly on the desk, though he didn’t even need to.  “Who’s she?”</p>
<p><em>“Our teacher for the day.” </em>   Yugi thought back to him.  <em> “She’s called the Wicked Witch of Expel.  She hands out punishments like people hand out candy on Halloween.” </em></p>
<p>Yugi felt the spirit’s protective anger rush through him, and he smiled in an attempt to reassure him.  <em> “Don’t worry about me.  I got here early, so I’ll be fine.” </em>   He glanced towards the door.  <em> “I’d worry more about Jonouchi, if I were you.” </em></p>
<p>The spirit winced as he followed Yugi’s gaze.  “Odds of him showing up on time?”</p>
<p><em>“Not looking good at the moment.” </em> Yugi said.</p>
<p>The spirit shook his head warmly at their friend’s usual behavior and then he looked across the room.  Curious, Yugi followed his gaze.</p>
<p>The three people the gossip had mentioned that morning were meeting together, talking and laughing.  He didn’t recognize one of them, but the other two were a beta named Chiharu and an omega named Kano, who he knew because Kano had bullied him for a while last year, before he had solved the Puzzle.</p>
<p>“Those are the ones they said were pack.”  The spirit said, watching them as Chiharu nuzzled into Kano’s neck, as she sat on the lap of their alpha.  A happy pheromone smell drifted off of them, their scents intermingling in the way that only packs and family did.  A pang of longing shot through Yugi, but he pressed it down.  He had his friends.  He wasn’t lonely or yearning for company anymore.</p>
<p><em>“Yeah.” </em>  Yugi thought to himself, as he watched the three of them.  A beta, an omega, and an alpha.  Society’s ideal pack.  Kano pressed forward, kissing Chiharu down her neck.  Normally, being so touchy in public would be frowned upon, but it was expected of newly formed packs, for them to be eager to touch and cuddle and kiss.</p>
<p><em>“What is a pack?” </em>  The spirit asked.</p>
<p>Yugi startled.  On the one hand, he guessed it’d make sense for an amnesiac like the spirit to not know about packs.  But the idea of a pack seemed so fundamental, so ingrained, that it seemed impossible not to know.</p>
<p><em>"A pack is…” </em>  Yugi paused for a moment, struggling to find the right words.  <em> “A pack is the people you choose to spend the rest of your life with.  That you care for so much that you never want to be apart.  They’re your family, your best friends, and your lovers all in one.” </em></p>
<p>The spirit went quiet, but he continued watching the trio.  “Then are you and Anzu and Jonouchi and Ryou and Honda pack?”</p>
<p>Yugi sputtered, not even able to answer <em> that </em> question coherently.  Thankfully for him, he didn’t have to, as Ms. Chono strode into the room at that moment.  The three in the pack glanced up at her and scrambled back into their seats.  Even the high of a newly formed pack, it seemed, could not outweigh the terror Chono inspired in her students.</p>
<p>“Good morning, class,” she said, smiling, and a shiver spread through the class at that smile, which was like a pleasant-tasting poison.  “I hope you’re all prepared for class today.”  Left unsaid was the threat of punishment if they weren’t.</p>
<p>“I’ll let you concentrate,” the spirit said, slipping back into the puzzle as Yugi focused on the front of the classroom.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yug, are you all right?”  Jonouchi said, leaning over the lunch table, crumbs dotting his chin.  He looked intently at Yugi, eyes filled with concern.  “I heard you had <em> her </em> this morning.”</p>
<p>“And you’ve been looking at your bento rather than eating it.”  Anzu added.  Yugi looked down, snapping out of his thoughts, as he began to poke at his bento.</p>
<p>“I’m fine.”  He said.  “She didn’t give me any punishments today, so that’s something.”</p>
<p>Anzu frowned.  “Is something else wrong, then?”</p>
<p><em>Aren’t you pack, </em> the spirit had asked.  Yugi looked down at his bento to hide the blush spreading on his cheeks.  “Nothing, really.”</p>
<p>The three of them exchanged looks as Ryou sat down at the table with his lunch, which he eagerly dove into.  Anzu and Honda gave each other a look, and then Honda scooted over, sliding part of his food over to Ryou.</p>
<p>Ryou glanced up at him and then at the food.  He bit his lip and accepted it, digging into it with the same abandon he had eaten everything else.  Yugi swallowed as he remembered Ryou telling him about the time he’d spent with the spirit, never knowing if the spirit would remember to eat or when he would be out again, and always being exhausted and hungry when Ryou woke back up again.</p>
<p>“What’s going on?”  Ryou asked, as soon as he didn’t have his mouth full.</p>
<p>“Yugi here just survived a class with Chono.”  Jonouchi said, gesturing in his direction.</p>
<p>“Chono?”  Ryou asked.</p>
<p>“Oh, you wouldn’t know who she is since you transferred here.”  Anzu said.  She leaned over the table and lowered her voice.  “Ms. Chono is the teacher that haunts everyone’s nightmares, who stalks the halls in search of disobedient students.  She’s called the Wicked Witch of Expel, because she’s expelled more students than every other teacher combined.  And all of us are afraid of her coming for us next.”</p>
<p>Ryou smiled at her.  “That was good!  You could write a horror movie with that as the script...a demon disguised as a teacher dragging students down to hell…”</p>
<p>Jonouchi squeaked.  “Did you have to make her sound like a demon, Anzu?”</p>
<p>“And she’s not that bad.”  Yugi added.  All of them gave him  a disbelieving glance.  Yugi rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.  “Okay, she is <em> that </em> bad.”</p>
<p>“You still didn’t tell us what you’re worried about, Yugi.”  Honda said, as gently as he could.  “Is your grandpa doing well after Duelist Kingdom!”</p>
<p>“He’s as energetic as ever!”  Yugi assured them.  “The doctors released him from the hospital with a clean bill of health.”</p>
<p>Jonouchi breathed a sigh of relief.  “That’s good to hear.”</p>
<p>All of them dug silently into their lunches for a moment, Jonouchi leaning over to grab food off of Yugi’s lunchbox and Yugi only rolled his eyes in response.  Anzu sighed.</p>
<p>“Are we still going over to Yugi’s tomorrow?”  She asked.</p>
<p>Jonouchi paused and stared at her.  “Oh, right!”  He cried, everyone at nearby tables turning to shush him.  “It’s Friday!””</p>
<p>“You forgot?”  Honda stared at him in disbelief.  “Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”</p>
<p>“I’ve been distracted recently, okay?”  Jonouchi defended himself.</p>
<p>Yugi chuckled, a smile slipping onto his face as his friends talked and laughed with each other.  This was what he’d always wanted, this connection with others.  “I’d love it if you guys visited tomorrow.”  He said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.  “We got new Duel Monsters packs coming in.”</p>
<p>Jonouchi pumped his fist.  “Now that’s what I like to hear.”</p>
<p>“Don’t the two of you ever get sick of playing that game?”  Anzu asked.</p>
<p>Yugi and Jonouchi glanced at her and in unison, both of them turned to Anzu and responded, “Nope.”</p>
<p>“Why did I even ask.”  Anzu muttered, and Ryou patted her on the shoulder.</p>
<p>Yugi laughed.  “We have other games too.”  He said.  “I’m sure we can find something we’d all love to play.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, that sounds fun, Yug.  Count me in.”  Honda said.</p>
<p>“And me too.”  Ryou said softly.</p>
<p>“You know I’m coming too, Yugi.”</p>
<p>“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Anzu said with a smile.</p>
<p> Looking at the smiling faces of his friends, Yugi practically glowed with happiness.  “I’m looking forward to it!”  He said, clapping his hands together.</p>
<p><em>T</em> <em>hen are you and Anzu and Jonouchi and Ryou and Honda pack? </em></p>
<p>Yugi shook his head to clear away that memory, even as the word pack echoed inside his mind.</p>
<p>
  <em>Your pack is your family, your best friends… </em>
</p>
<p>“Yug?”  Jonouchi asked.</p>
<p>That’s right.  He couldn’t ask, even if he really wanted a pack, wanted that same sense of closeness and belonging.  What if he asked and screwed up their friendship somehow?</p>
<p>He would never forgive himself.</p>
<p>“I’m fine, Jonouchi,” he said, turning to him with a smile.  “If we play with a thousand life points, do you think we could finish a duel before lunch ended?”</p>
<p>Jonouchi grinned.  “Let's do it, Yug.  But you know I’ve been working on my deck!  I won’t go down easily.”</p>
<p>“Of course not.”  Yugi agreed, taking out his deck and shuffling before drawing his starting hand.  “You can have the first move.”</p>
<p>The spirit floated out of the puzzle at the mention of dueling, but he gave Yugi a concerned glance.  He felt the distress in the boy’s thoughts keenly, but without knowing what was the cause, he couldn’t help him.</p>
<p>With a thoughtful frown, the spirit turned to watch the game.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yugi?”  The spirit asked, as the boy set the Puzzle down next to his bed.</p>
<p> Yugi turned to him and smiled.  “What is it, Other Me?’</p>
<p>“You’re worried about something.”  The spirit said.</p>
<p>The smile slipped off of Yugi’s face.  Of course he couldn’t hide anything from Yami.  He ran a finger over the grooves in the Puzzle’s side, the spirit shivering slightly at the phantom touch.  “I...I was thinking about what you said earlier.”  Yugi blurted, before clutching the Puzzle closer to himself and looking down.</p>
<p>“What I said earlier?”  Yami echoed, thinking back through the day.  “When I asked if you were pack with our friends?”  He frowned.  “I did not mean to offend.  I was merely curious.”</p>
<p>Yugi swallowed.  “Being pack is serious.”  He said.  “It’s supposed to be forever.”  He shook his head.  “Of course, everyone knows about the packs that break up or grow apart over time.  The packs where it ends in restraining orders or abuse.  But most people don’t ever get that ideal picture of a pack out of their head.”</p>
<p>Yami settled on his bed, giving every sign that he was listening attentively.  Hesitantly, Yugi continued.  “And high school is supposed to be when you figure that stuff out, you know?   You start being in packs, not the forever kind, but experimenting.  With who you like and what you want.  And I’ve never been in a pack, not with anyone.”</p>
<p>“You don’t have to be in a pack if that’s not what you want.”  Yami said, confidence dripping off of him, and Yugi straightened up slightly at his words before biting his lip.</p>
<p>“But it <em> is </em> what I want.”  Yugi said.  “I couldn’t get the thought out of my head, all day after you asked about it.  I want to be part of a pack, I want that closeness, that belonging, that warmth.”  He said, holding the Puzzle closer.  “And I don’t think I could ever feel that same sense of closeness with anyone other than them.”</p>
<p>The spirit didn’t have to ask him who.  “Then what are you worried about?”  He asked.</p>
<p>“What if I ask, and they say no?”  Yugi said.  He tensed as more scenarios of disaster spun through his head.  “What if I ask, and only one or two of them say yes, and then our group breaks apart based on who is pack and who isn’t?  What if-”</p>
<p>“Yugi.”  The spirit said firmly, and Yugi noticed his breathing had started to speed up.  He inhaled deeply and then exhaled, his muscles relaxing.  The spirit gave an approving nod before answering.  “I can’t imagine why anyone would say no to being pack with you.”  He said, leaning closer and placing a ghostly hand over Yugi’s, which still gripped the Puzzle hard.</p>
<p>“But our friends have stayed by our side through everything.”  Yami said.  “Through Duelist Kingdom and all that came with it.  Do you truly think they would leave you simply because you showed that you cared for them so much that you wanted them to be pack?”  The spirit asked.</p>
<p>Yugi opened his mouth.  Closed it again.  Considered the question.  “No,” he said.  “They wouldn’t.”</p>
<p>The spirit nodded, and his ghostly touch felt warm on Yugi’s skin.  “I think you should ask,” Yami said, slowly, uncertainly.  “I think you’ll regret it if you don’t ask, because then you’ll never know what they would have said.”</p>
<p>Yugi swallowed.  “Tomorrow.”  He decided.  “They’ll all be here at the same time, it’s private, and it’ll be casual.  That’s the best time to ask.”</p>
<p>“I think so too.”  Yami said, smiling.  He considered wishing Yugi luck but thought it would only stress him more.  “Now go to sleep.  You need to be well-rested tomorrow if you’re going to have a chance to ask and not be drowned out by Honda and Anzu and Jonouchi’s concern for you.”</p>
<p>“I could sleep in tomorrow.  Then I’d still be well-rested.”  Yugi muttered.</p>
<p>Yami patted his hand before standing up.  “Then you’d have trouble waking up on time on school days.”</p>
<p>“You’re right, but I don’t have to like it.”</p>
<p>Yami laughed.  “Good night, Yugi,” he said as he disappeared into the Puzzle again.</p>
<p>“Good night, Yami,” Yugi said, smiling softly as he snuggled the Puzzle close to his chest, heedless of how its hard edges pressed uncomfortably into his chest.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, Yugi!”  Jonouchi said, strolling in through the game shop and throwing himself on the couch in front of the TV.  He glanced around.  “First one here?”</p>
<p>“Yup.”  Yugi called back from the kitchen..  “Make yourself at home.”  He hoped Jonouchi didn’t hear his voice shake.  Yami appeared next to him, and he felt his phantom arms wrap around his shoulders.</p>
<p>Yugi took a deep breath, placing one hand over Yami’s ghostly arm, and steeled himself.  Walking back into the room, he set down a platter of snacks on the table as the doorbell rang.</p>
<p>Yugi perked up, hurrying over and opening the door.  Ryou, curling one lock of his white hair around his finger, stood beside Honda.  “Come in,” he said, standing to the side and waving them in.  “Have you seen Anzu?”</p>
<p>“No.”  Honda said and frowned.  “Is she not here yet?”</p>
<p>“No, not yet,” Yugi said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.  “I’m sure she’ll come soon though.”</p>
<p>Ryou and Honda shuffled in, Honda throwing himself down besides Jonouchi and Ryou and Jonouchi helping themselves to the snacks.  Yugi followed them into the room.</p>
<p>“So what would you like to play?”  He asked.  “I was thinking maybe that new horror game that came out recently-”</p>
<p>Ryou nodded eagerly.  Jonouchi let out a groan, but Yugi knew he would play if it was a game the others were looking forward to.  Honda sighed in resignation.</p>
<p>The doorbell rang as Anzu walked in, glancing around.  “Hey, Anzu.”  Yugi said, giving her a smile and hoping it hid his anxiety.  “We were just thinking of what game to play.  You up for horror?”</p>
<p>Anzu made a face and shook her head.  “I’d rather not today.  Do you have any co-op games?”</p>
<p>Yugi looked thoughtful and dove for the board games, digging through them.  “Hmm-this could be fun, but maybe another day.  And this-” he pauses as he pulls out a purple box from the stack.  He bit his lip, considering it and a possibility.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yami, do you think I could-” </em>
</p>
<p>Yami floated out, glancing at the box.  Of course he understood quickly.  “Do you truly think this is the best way to ask?”  He said.</p>
<p>Yugi laughed down their mental link.  <em> “Is there any way more like us than through a game?” </em></p>
<p>“You have a point,” Yami said.  He sat down next to the couch, leaning his head back between Honda’s legs, though of course Honda didn't notice.  “Very well.”</p>
<p>“This is a game that tests your knowledge of your friends.”  Yugi said, lifting up the box.  “How it works is that the host pulls a question, and then they write down their answer.  All of the other players try to write what they think the host would, and then the host reads off all of the answers.  Players are supposed to guess what the host’s answer is then.”</p>
<p>“Sounds fun!”  Jonouchi said.</p>
<p>“Especially for us.”  Anzu said.</p>
<p>He pulled the lid off the box and started distributing the pieces, such as markers and erasable cards to write on.  “All right, how about we do one round, clockwise?”  He said, sitting at the end of the table.  “You can start, Honda.”</p>
<p>Anzu tilted her head, no doubt realizing that that set him up to go last.  She nodded and set herself down next to Yugi, taking the second to last turn.</p>
<p>“All right.”  Yugi said, sweating.  “Someone guesses your answer, you get a point.  You get the right answer, and you get a point.  Whoever has the most points at the end of this round wins.”</p>
<p>“Got it.”  Jonouchi said.  “Let’s get started, I’m excited!’</p>
<p>“Okay, then.”  Honda reached in and pulled out a card.</p>
<p>“Read the blue questions,” Yugi whispered to him, and Honda nodded.</p>
<p>“Truth be told, I always cry when BLANK.”  Honda said.  He blinked and started scribbling down his answer.</p>
<p>“Well, that’s quick.”  Anzu said as she glanced down at her card.</p>
<p>Eventually, all of them had come up with an answer, so they all passed it down to Honda, who nodded.  “The answers are when we watch a horror movie, when the dog dies in a movie, when there are onions in the room, whenever I eat spicy food, and whenever I take a test at school.”  Honda said.</p>
<p>“Onions?  Really, who put that?”  Anzu asked, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Shush, you have to let us write our guesses down before commenting.”  Yugi said.</p>
<p>“Do you all have your answers?”  Honda asked.  “Because you’ve all stopped writing.”</p>
<p>The group exchanged glances and nods.  All at once, they flipped around their answers.</p>
<p>Dog was written uniformly across all of them, and Honda sighed.  “I can’t help it, they always remind me of Blankey.” </p>
<p>Jonouchi patted him on the back.  “Nothing to be ashamed of, man.  I mean…”  Jonouchi was starting to tear up himself.  “They’re.  So.  Cute.”</p>
<p>Yugi smiled.  “It’s your turn now, Jonouchi.”  He prompted with a smile.</p>
<p>They all went around the table, most of them being able to guess the right answer.  And then it came to Yugi.  He breathed in and drew his card from the box and looked at it.</p>
<p>Part of him breathed a sigh of relief.  A confession could work with this.  The other part of him realized he didn’t have a convenient excuse of not getting a good prompt to make to Yami.</p>
<p>“Truth be told,” Yugi said, “I have a secret.”  He wrote the words, trembling, down onto his card.  <em> I want to be pack. </em>  He wrote, and it seemed so insufficient for the full depth of his feelings, but...he breathed in.  He had to say it somehow.</p>
<p>All too soon the group passed their cards down to him.  He wasn’t surprised to see not a single duplicate among them.</p>
<p>“Truth be told, I have a secret.”  Yugi repeated, as he began to read them out loud.  “That I’m possessed by an ancient ghost,” Yugi paused and looked up.  “That’s true, but is it really a secret though?”</p>
<p>“You’re not supposed to comment before we guess.”  Anzu reminded him.</p>
<p>“True, but Jonouchi already broke that rule at least a dozen times in this game.”</p>
<p>Jonouchi shrugged unrepentantly.</p>
<p>Yugi sighed and continued on.  “I have a pet-what?  You guys all know I don’t have a pet.”</p>
<p>“No, we don’t.”  Honda said, sticking a finger into the air.  “You could keep a pet secret, Yug, and that’s why it’d be a secret.”</p>
<p>Yugi gave him a blank stare.  He sighed.  Read the next.  “I’m a fan of <em> Star Trek </em>, Kuriboh is my favorite card, and…” he hesitated, biting his lip as the words jammed fast in his throat.</p>
<p>“Yugi?”  Jonouchi asked, slowly, his eyes flickering towards Anzu and Honda and Ryou.  Anzu’s eyes narrowed, and a light of realization began to enter her eyes.</p>
<p>“I want to be pack.”  Yugi blurted out, practically coughing up the words, and the cards fell from his hands.  “I want to be pack, and I want it so bad it hurts but I was afraid of asking any of you-”  the words began to spill out as Yugi squeezed his eyes closed.</p>
<p>Slowly, he stopped babbling, still afraid to open up his eyes until he felt fingers running through his hair.  “Jonouchi?”  Yugi muttered, looking up at him.</p>
<p>“I-is this all right?”  Jonouchi asked him, running his hand through Yugi’s hair again.  The slow, repetitive motion felt so soothing, even more for what it meant.  And all of his friends had gathered around, so close he could feel their warmth.</p>
<p>“Ye-yes.”  Yugi said, nodding quickly.</p>
<p>“Yug,” Jonouchi said, hesitating to glance around at the others, “I-there’s no one I’d want to be in a pack with more than you.”</p>
<p>“I feel the same way,” Anzu added.  “You’re always so-kind and sweet and gentle.”</p>
<p>“But that’s not even how an alpha should be!”  Yugi blurted out before glancing down again, shivering.</p>
<p>“Who gives a crap about how you should be?”  Jonouchi said, his voice rough.  Yugi winced at the reminder of the days they’d long since passed by, when Jonouchi had mocked Yugi for how he was timid for an alpha.  “You’re Yugi, man, and you’re awesome the way you are.”</p>
<p>“He’s right.”  Honda said.  “And I-” he cut himself off.  “I want to be pack with all of you too.”  He said, glancing around at all of them, gathered on the floor.</p>
<p>Yugi’s eyes began to look hopeful, a smile appearing on his lips.</p>
<p>“I want to be pack too.”  Ryou said softly, nudging forward.  “I-I really want to be pack with you all!’</p>
<p>“So I guess that settles it.”  Anzu said with a nod.  “We’re pack now.”  The way she said it, it seemed inevitable, and so right.  Yugi launched himself forward, wrapping one arm around Honda and the other around Ryou.  Anzu, somewhat awkwardly, leaned into him, nuzzling into his neck and Yugi giggled as her hair tickled on his skin, and as Jonouchi’s hand kept petting his hair.</p>
<p>“This’ll take some getting used to, won’t it.”  Honda asked.</p>
<p>“Not as much as you think.”  Jonouchi said.  “I can pet you too, if you want, Honda.”</p>
<p>Honda wrinkled his nose.  “From you?  No thanks.”</p>
<p>Ryou reached up slowly and ran his fingers through Honda’s hair, watching in enraptured fascination as the brown spike on his head moved.  Honda relaxed under the touch and leaned into Ryou’s gentle hand.</p>
<p>“Wait, you’ll let him pet you and not me?”  Jonouchi said, outrage in his voice.  “How is that fair?”</p>
<p>Yugi laughed, and even Jonouchi had to drop his fake scowl as all of them slowly began approaching each other.  </p>
<p>It didn’t feel like he expected it to.  He expected a massive change, and more of a desire to kiss and cuddle and touch, like the pack he’d seen yesterday, but instead he was content to feel Jonouchi’s fingers in his hair and Anzu’s head on his shoulder, and it felt like nothing had changed at all.</p>
<p>Yami looked over the huddle, a sad smile on his face.  “I’m happy for you, Yugi.”  He whispered.  “I knew it would work out.”  His ghostly form faded as he retreated again into the Puzzle.</p>
<p>Oblivious, Yugi turned to Ryou, running a hand through his hair and smelling the sweet scent of his shampoo.  Amidst all the warmth, Yugi smiled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You’re going to school today, brother?”  Mokuba stared at him across the table as Kaiba marked down another financial report.  “But why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m required to go a certain number of days.”  Kaiba said.  “You know this, Mokuba.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why haven’t you tested out?”  Mokuba’s brows furrowed in confusion.  “Why would anyone go to school willingly?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If this is a veiled request for you to get out of school, then the answer is no.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, come on.  You know I’m smarter than any of the other kids.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Socializing with people your own age is important.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba raised an eyebrow at him.  Kaiba moved onto the next financial report and picked up his pen.  “No, Mokuba.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He groaned and shoved the food on his plate around with his fork.  “Well, at least you’re suffering too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Humanity’s slogan.”  Kaiba said dryly.  “Now finish your breakfast.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba settled into his seat, ignoring the whispers that surrounded him as the other students gossiped about him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that Kaiba-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He goes here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, haven’t you seen him before-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He always skips out on class and he always gets away with it-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rich.  Filthy rich.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, isn’t Yugi supposed to be his rival or something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In Duel Monsters?  Yeah, those guys take a card game too seriously.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t let them hear you say that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba took out his book and started reading.  If he was forced by law to be in this building, then he might as well do something productive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, he couldn’t help it when his eyes flickered over to the door upon seeing Yugi’s hair out of the corner of his eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you managed to pull that from the claw machine at the arcade.”  The white-haired boy next to him said.  What was his name...and when had he and Yugi become friends, anyways?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you know me and games!”  Yugi said, smiling as he set his bag down on his desk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, we all know that.”  The brown-haired boy said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba grunted and was about to turn back to his book, a far more productive use of his time, if you asked him, when something unexpected happened.  The white-haired boy had leaned forward, whispered something to which Yugi responded with a nod and a blush, which drew Kaiba’s eye to the red spreading across Yugi’s cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then the boy sat on Yugi’s lap, with Yugi reaching up to touch his hair, curling a lock of that puffy white hair around his fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba gaped and stared openly.  That-that was not a friend thing.  That was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pack</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing.  Had he misread something?  Yugi had a pack?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That brown-haired boy sat down on the desk, and if they’d been a new pack Kaiba would have expected him to lean forward, to kiss the other boys, because as far as he’d been told there was nothing people in a newly formed pack liked more than being far too touchy-feely, but instead he and the white-haired boy smiled at each other, and the second boy ran his fingers up the arm of the one sitting on the desk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl leaned on the shoulder of the one sitting on the desk, her head fitting into the crook of his neck practically perfectly.  And then Jonouchi, that idiot, jumped on the two and wrapped his arms around them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was all natural and flowed together so well.  They had to have been a pack for years-Kaiba had seen packs together for decades with that same sense of coordination with each other, but he would’ve sworn that they had not been pack at Duelist Kingdom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not pack when Yugi and the rest of them had come to help him and Mokuba.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba scowled and tossed that thought away.  He did not need their help.  It didn’t matter if he would have been...he could take care of himself, he had always had to take care of himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Until Duelist Kingdom, where apparently this bunch saved his life.  And the virtual world, where they had come to stop the Big Five and their plans.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More determinedly, Kaiba forced his eyes from the open display of affection and back to the dizzying lines of text in his book.  Before his eyes, they blurred into an unintelligible mess.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba reached up and squeezed his temples in an effort to ward off the impending headache.  Then he looked back at Yugi’s pack.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl was kissing one of the boys’ cheeks now, and apparently the white-haired boy really liked it when people messed with his hair, since Jonouchi had gotten in on it and was now petting the boy’s hair, to both of their delighted smiles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba shook his head disgustedly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Packs are a weakness, boy!  Only lone wolves survive in this world.”  Gozaburo loomed over him, the collar around his neck tugging at his skin.  “Remember that.  Affection is weakness.  Including that affection you have for your weakling brother.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba’s fingers tightened on his book.  Why did he have to remember that now, of all times?  He’d left that behind.  Gozaburo was dead.  Dead and gone, permanently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glared a hole into his book, forcing himself to block out all of those other thoughts.  All he had to do was make it through the school day without looking at Yugi and his oh-so-affectionate pack.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could do that.  He was Seto Kaiba.  Of course he could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba shoved the dinner on his plater around roughly, and Mokuba looked up at him with concern.  After Duelist Kingdom, they’d begun having meals together regularly again, even though Kaiba tended to work through most meals, Mokuba didn’t mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>KaibaCorp was their shared work, after all.  And he was its vice president, so he understood all of the problems that his brother needed to deal with, and needed to handle promptly at that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Mokuba had been teaching himself to recognize his brother’s moods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This wasn’t “How did I hire such an idiot?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This wasn’t “Why can’t I fire my own stockholders?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This wasn’t “When am I going to need to stop personally running the R&amp;D division of the company?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was something else, something in his brother’s face he didn’t recognize.  He’d been getting better since Yugi did whatever that mind whammy thing to his brother after their first duel with each other, but Mokuba still wanted to see him find genuine happiness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And this...Mokuba narrowed his eyes.  Kaiba wouldn’t talk about it unless he managed to pry it out of him.  Mokuba thought back.  Could something have happened at school to irritate him?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi. He had to be the reason.  Who else could get under his brother’s skin like that?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba cleared his throat.  “So how was your day at school?”  Mokuba asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A waste of time.”  Kaiba replied promptly, but there was the faintest twitch in his eye that would have gone overlooked by most.  He was on the right track.  Time to dig deeper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you talk to Yugi?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba’s hands tightened on the knife cutting into his steak.  Bingo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.”  He said simply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba narrowed his eyes even further.  “Really?  Was he out today?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I saw him.”  Kaiba allowed.  And Mokuba pounced.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How was he?  Do you think he was looking well?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba’s fork stabbed into the steak.  “I’m surprised you didn’t already know.  After all, you actually talk to those idiots.”  He said.  “Him and those dweebs he hangs out with are a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pack</span>
  </em>
  <span> now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba’s eyes widened as his silverware dropped out of his hands.  A pack?  Surprise swept through him.  Packs weren’t a small deal.  Sure, they were taken less seriously in high school and college, but… to be a pack with someone meant you could see yourself spending the rest of your life with them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A small pang of hurt went through his chest that Yugi hadn’t told him personally.  He’d thought they were friends, especially after they had helped rescue his brother from that virtual world, but he supposed to them he might still have been only the kid brother of Yugi’s rival.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba glared down at his steak, and Mokuba shook himself out of those thoughts.  He was...bothered by Yugi being in a pack?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It doesn’t matter anyways.”  Kaiba muttered into his dinner.  “Packs.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Worthless</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”  He pushed himself away from the table.  “I’m heading upstairs to work, Mokuba.  I don’t wish to be bothered tonight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, big brother,” Mokuba said, nodding, as his brother ended upstairs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba bit his lip, remembering earlier conversations between the two of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Your rut is coming up.”  Mokuba said, his hands balling into fists beneath the table.  “Are you still on that medication?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"O</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>f course I am.”  Kaiba said, his shoulders tensing.  “I cannot afford taking time away from KaibaCorp, and there are no other routes available for me for dealing with the symptoms.  You know my opinion on packs, Mokuba, and paying for companionship would leave the potential for unsavory rumors to spread.  Medication, on the other hand, can be purchased quite discreetly if you know how.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"But the side effects-weakness, potential for fainting, increased stress and risk of depression-”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"I am aware, Mokuba.”  Kaiba said coldly.  “I educated myself on the potential side effects before ever beginning the medication.  I consider it worth those risks.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"But why?  Can’t you get a pack?”  Mokuba asked.  “Why are you letting him stop you from-”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Kaiba stood up.  “I told you, Mokuba.  This is my decision.  Respect it.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mokuba glanced down.  “Fine.”  He muttered.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba took a sip of his drink, considering.  Any direct confrontation would likely push his brother further away from opening up to anyone.  But...if his brother wanted to be part of a pack, then he would be part of that pack.  Mokuba had finally seen an opportunity for his brother to be happy, and he would not let it slip away easily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Over the dinner table, Mokuba began to scheme.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi plopped back on Yugi’s bed, next to an already snoozing Honda.  “You sure your mom doesn’t mind us staying over, Yugi?”  He asked, one arm splayed out over Honda’s chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, she said it’s fine.  Is Anzu going to be coming today?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi shook his head.  “Nah.  Ryou’s staying at her place today, so he’s not going to show either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, right.”  Yugi said and poked his head out of the closet.  “You left your jacket here last time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi shrugged.  “Is that a problem?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi considered, and then snatched the jacket off the hanger and swung it around his shoulders.  It went way down past his waist, but he still grinned at Jonouchi.  “Not a problem at all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi snickered as Yugi walked over to the bed, pouncing on him and jostling Honda awake.  He looked silly with his school jacket absolutely not being a fit for Yugi, but at the same time, it was adorable, especially as Yugi grinned down at him.  Jonouchi leaned forward and sniffed, smelling Yugi’s honey-sugar-sweet pheromone scent combined with the smell he’d left on his jacket, his lemony scent with a faint undertone of wild grasses.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I touch your scenting glands?”  Yugi asked, and Jonouchi nodded eagerly, baring his neck.  Yugi leaned forward, nuzzling into it as he sniffed and began kissing up to his jaw.  Jonouchi let out a low moan, and that only encouraged Yugi further, who leaned back in order to press a kiss to his lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you guys having fun without me?”  Honda said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“‘Course not.”  Jonouchi said, turning onto his side and nudging Honda.  Honda glanced up and blushed as he saw what Yugi was wearing, to Yugi’s delight as Honda reached up and tugged him down into a kiss, pushing the Millennium Puzzle just slightly to the side so it wouldn’t poke either of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi paused, suddenly breaking off the kiss as he felt something twist uncomfortably inside his chest.  “Yug?”  Jonouchi asked, glancing up at him.  Yugi looked up and to the side, where Yami was looking at the three of them gathered together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Upon seeing Yugi looking at him, he startled, and like a wild rabbit sighting a predator he bolted, vanishing into the Puzzle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Honda’s hand cupped his chin as Jonouchi leaned forward, wrapping one hand around him.  “Yugi, are you okay?”  He asked, concern still in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m okay,” Yugi said, looking at the spot where Yami had disappeared for a few moments longer before tugging his gaze back down to Jonouchi.  He cupped the side of Jonouchi’s face and leaned in to nuzzle into his neck again, spreading his own scent over Jonouchi’s glands.  Jonouchi reached up, burying his fingers into Yugi’s hair as that honey scent came over him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I like it when we smell like pack,” Yugi whispered, as Honda reached up and tugged him down so he lay between the both of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Honda went in to sniff at his glands, and Yugi shivered as Honda nuzzled into his neck.  Honda didn’t smell like flowers or sugar or anything sweet at all.  He smelled like sweat and the grease of his motorcycle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi liked it all the same, because it was Honda’s scent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But even as he snuggled into Honda’s hold, his hand went down to the Millennium Puzzle around his neck.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Anzu!”  Yugi called, as the girl was about to leave, staring into the rain hopefully as if it would end if she just gave it a few more seconds.  “Can we talk for a moment?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course,” she said, turning to him with a grin.  “I always have time for you, Yugi.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi blushed.  “I wanted to ask for your help.”  He said.  “For the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yami?”  Anzu asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He...I think he’s been feeling lonely since we became pack.”  Yugi said.  “And talking with you might help him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?”  Anzu asked.  “You think so?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi grinned at her, taking her hand to hold in his.  “You always have great advice, Anzu.”  He said, looking passionately up into her eyes.  “Just talk to him, and I know it’ll help him work things out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s the plan?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ten o’clock at Domino Station!”  Yugi said.  “Thanks, Anzu!”  He said, running off through the rain as he waved goodbye to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anzu looked after him.  “It’s no problem,” she whispered.  “I just hope I really can help.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“Now let’s see, if I can figure out what to wear, we can get out of here.”  Yugi said, tilting his head as he looked in the mirror.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me, what’s this big surprise you have planned?”  Yami asked, sitting on the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise.”  Yugi snickered.  “But then again,” he considered as he looked in the mirror, “you’re going to meet Anzu by the station.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A date?”  Yami asked, ignoring the pang in his chest at Yugi having a date.  “That’s great, Yugi.  I’m sure you and Anzu will have a great time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, she will.”  Yugi said happily.  “But not with me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The spirit blinked as Yugi held up his hands and the Millennium Puzzle glowed and the spirit was suddenly hurled into control.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wha-Yugi!”  He yelled, turning to the now ghostly form of Yugi besides him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You should get ready.”  Yugi said, with a shit-eating grin.  “After all, you’re going to meet Anzu in about…” he glanced at the clock.  “Ten minutes.  And you wouldn’t want to be late, would you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi vanished into the puzzle, and Yami scowled as he held it in his hands, trying to force him back out.  But Yugi was stubborn, and Yami couldn’t drag him out of the puzzle at all.  He sighed.  “I don’t know why anyone thinks you’re innocent,” he muttered, and the puzzle let off a gleam like Yugi was laughing at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami tugged open the closet, glancing around.  Nothing felt quite right, except for… he peered into a corner of the closet, where some of the clothes had been pushed to the side and tugged it out, giving himself a nod as he held it up to himself in the mirror.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He slid bracelets onto his wrist and put the collar on around his throat like Yugi always did.  It was both a fashion statement and a matter of practicality, as it kept the Puzzle from hurting his neck too much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that, he thought he looked at least acceptable, though he would have preferred more jewelry.  Yugi did not have nearly enough, in his opinion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced at the clock and tensed up, running through the halls down out the door of the game shop.  “I’m going to be late…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi’s mom startled as he rushed by, before she turned to glance at him in confusion.  “Was he wearing-” she cut herself off and went back to her work.  “Sometimes I feel as if I really don’t understand him at all.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, Anzu.”  The spirit said, panting from having run all the way to the station to make it in time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anzu gave him a look of concern.  “Do you need water?”  She asked.  The spirit straightened up and shook his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then Anzu tilted her head.  “Is that one of the skirts I left over at Yugi’s?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.”  The spirit glanced sheepishly down at his outfit.  “I didn’t realize it was yours, I just found it in Yugi’s closet-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Relax.”  Anzu laughed as she took in his outfit.  With a wink, she said, “It looks good on you.  Better than it ever did on me.  You should keep it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The spirit glanced up at her, and he could feel his cheeks warming as he blushed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So where are we going?”  He asked, running his hands over his skirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The cafe for lunch.”  Anzu said, walking as he hurried to keep pace.  “And then wherever we want to go!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami bit his lip, glancing over at her, before turning back inwards.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Yugi!”  </span>
  </em>
  <span>He hissed mentally.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>“What are you doing?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi whistled innocently as he popped up next to Yami.  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"She’s your pack.”</span>
  </em>
  <span>  Yami said, glancing over at Anzu as the two walked into the cafe.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You should be spending this time with her, not me.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi looked over at Anzu, patting her on the shoulder even as his hand went through her hair, and floated back over to Yami.  “She won’t be angry with me for this.   You and Anzu are friends, you know, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants</span>
  </em>
  <span> to spend time with you.  And...did you think I didn’t notice how lonely you were?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami remained silent.  “That’s right.”  Yugi said, nodding.  “So you’re gonna go on this date.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Date?”</span>
  </em>
  <span>  Yami stiffened.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I thought you said it was just a chance for friends to hang out!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re my partner, Yami.”  Yugi said, shaking his head.  “I...I’m not sure if it’s exactly what you want, but I want you in my pack.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami’s hands gripped the Millennium Puzzle.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>“But...but…”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you going to order?”  Anzu asked, snapping him out of his thoughts and Yami hurriedly looked at the menu.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tea, I think.”  He said, looking back up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just enjoy yourself.”  Yugi said.  “You don’t have to worry about anything I said right now.”  With that said, he vanished back into the Puzzle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he vanished, Yami turned back to the lunch, as Anzu gave him a warm smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Awkwardly, Yami smiled back.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“The arcade?”  Yami asked, standing beside Anzu as they looked up at the entrance.  Anzu nodded excitedly, tugging him forwards.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love the dance machines here,” she said.  “And this place is so big.”  She said, glancing around at the size of the arcade as they walked in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh!”  Anzu squealed as she ran over to the arcade’s dancing machine.  Tossing off her jacket, she threw it to Yami, who caught it in his arms with a confused stare.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Having some fun!”  She called back as she jumped on the dancing machine’s platform.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The music blasted out of its speakers, and Anzu began to nod her head along to the beat.  Her hair fluttered as she gracefully danced across the platform, her arms flying out around it as she twirled from move to move.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Amazing!”  The machine beeped out as it picked up on her moves, the score going higher and higher.  “New high score!”  It said, with a little burst of fanfare as confetti was thrown across the screen.  Anzu grinned as she stepped forward to insert her name into the high score list, right above KAI, who had unfortunately been knocked down to second place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was awesome, Anzu.”  Yami said, red tinting his cheeks as he handed Anzu’s jacket back to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks,” she said, brushing sweat off her forehead as she shook her hair out around her shoulders.  Instead of putting it back on, she laid it on her arm and turned to Yami again.  “Did you see any games you liked?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami Yugi paused for a moment, considering.  “I saw a co-op game down that way.  It's based off of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dark Magician.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”  He said, and this time it was him dragging Anzu along to a game, but she didn't seem to mind.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“So did you have fun?”  Yugi asked, grinning as he floated in the air next to Yami on their walk on the way home.  Yami gave him a look.  “Oh, don’t be like that.  You really did look like you were enjoying yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami glanced down, smiling as he blushed slightly.  “I did.”  His smile faded.  “But I shouldn’t.  Yugi, I don’t want to take any more of your life from you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi floated in front of him, jabbing a finger into Yami’s face.  “No.”  He sighed.  “You’re not taking my life from me, I’m sharing it with you.”  He sighed and tilted his head.  “Did you want this to be a date?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami paused, silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to answer that now,” Yugi said quickly.  “Just...think about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami nodded slowly, fingering the Millennium Puzzle and looking over at Yugi.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>If I could be pack...with you…</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yami glanced away, back down to the Puzzle.  “I will.”  He said, and he did mean it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced up at the Kame Game shop.  “But now, I think it’s your turn, Yugi.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fair enough,” Yugi said, slipping back in as the spirit returned to the puzzle.  He glanced down, shrugged as he ran his hands over the skirt, and walked back into the game shop, smiling as he slipped upstairs while holding the Puzzle in his hands.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe he just needs more time.  Another day, then.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Yugi!”  Honda said, throwing the door to his bedroom open and flopping down on the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi laughed, especially as Honda came up behind him and ruffled his hair.  “Stop that,” he said, giggling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jonouchi told me he’ll be running late.”  Honda said.   “And-” the door opened again, revealing Anzu and Ryou.  “Oh, there they are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look so unexcited to see us.”  Anzu said, teasingly.  “Where’s our big welcome?  Not even so much as a hug?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t say that.” Honda said as he stood up off the bed, reaching over and tugging Anzu into a light kiss.  She giggled as she leaned into him, pulling him close into a hug, before stepping back.  Honda then turned to Ryou, and Ryou blushed as Honda leaned forward to kiss the tip of Ryou’s nose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi watched all of this with a smile.  It had turned out better than he ever could have imagined.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>But it’s not over yet</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he reminded himself as he ran a finger over the edge of the Millennium Puzzle.  The door slammed open, banging against the wall as the other people in the room all looked over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!”  Jonouchi said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jonouchi, you’re here!”  Yugi said, beaming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yup!”  He laughed as Yugi bounded over to the group, all of them coming in for a group hug.  Slowly, they stumbled over to the bed.  Jonouchi’s legs bumped into the bed and he fell over onto the ground, pulling Ryou along with him, who fell over him, giggling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi leapt atop the two, both of them letting surprised oofs out as he fell.  Honda and Anzu crowded the bed, all of them stacking on top of each other in a tangle that filled the bed, limbs sticking awkwardly out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Honda kissed Jonouchi’s neck as Ryou petted his hair, and Anzu reached up, running a hand through Ryou’s glistening white hair as he shivered under her touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi reached up slowly as the Millennium Puzzle hung from his neck, pausing for a moment to let his hand hover over the puzzle.  Then the Puzzle responded with a glimmer of light, and Yugi grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Puzzle shone out in the room, and Ryou twitched closer to Honda as Jonouchi lifted himself up to a sitting position.  Anzu glanced around as if trying to figure out where to fit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami looked up out of Yugi’s eyes, the blonde bangs having lifted into lightning bolts across the spikes of his hair and his eyes changing to red.  “Yugi…” he glanced down, and then he felt the warmth of hands press against his cheek.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anzu smiled at him from his left, and Ryou slowly scooted closer from his right.  “We know what you’re going to ask,” she said, and she leaned in, giving him enough time to move or tell her to stop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He closed the distance between their lips, Anzu and Yami kissing and his skin grew hot and clammy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you’re not hogging him all to yourself.”  Honda said, and Yami blushed as he was tugged over between Jonouchi and Honda, both of them running their hands up his arms.  His blush only grew deeper, and a dreamy, besotted smile spread across his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Honda and Jonouchi looked at each other, and then Honda leaned in first, slowly pressing a kiss to his lips.  Yami’s hand went up to his head, pushing against Honda and Yami shivered at the touch, so warm after having been in the cold loneliness of the Puzzle for millennia.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They broke apart and leaned their foreheads against each other, and for a moment simply enjoyed the presence of the other, Yami’s hand curling around the nape of Honda’s neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From behind him, Jonouchi wrapped his arms around him, startling a laugh out of Yami.  He turned around in his arms and eagerly kissed Jonouchi on the lips, his hands going to Jonouchi’s blue school jacket to pull him in further.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi broke away, and this time he was the one blushing as he leaned forward and nuzzled into Yami’s scenting glands, licking and kissing alternatively on the sensitive skin.  Yami shivered, his eyes flicking down to the glands.  That...that didn’t feel right.  Not Jonouchi, but the glands themselves, feeling like they weren’t quite how they were supposed to be on his skin.  The familiar feeling of some fragment of memory being just out of reach taunted him again, and Jonouchi leaned back with a look of concern.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you okay, Yami?” Jonouchi said, his hand cupping Yami’s cheek.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami shook his head slightly to jar the feeling or try to grab the memory before glancing back up at Jonouchi with a smile.  “If it’s not, that’s okay.  We can take this at whatever pace you’re comfortable with.”  Jonouchi assured him, his hands moving to grip him by the shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami’s smile turned genuine as he lifted Jonouchi’s hand onto the top of his head, on top of his hair.  Jonouchi blinked but followed the unspoken request, gently brushing his fingers through Yami’s hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anzu and Honda watch with smiles on their faces, Anzu partially on Honda’s lap because Yugi’s bed?  Definitely not made for five-person cuddle piles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryou laid his hand atop Yami’s, biting his lip nervously, in a silent question.  Yami grinned at him, and Ryou smiled back, crawling forward on his stomach to lean into Yami, as Yami twisted in Jonouchi’s grip to reach back to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryou surged forward, nerves in his eyes as he tried to kiss Yami, and Yami tugged him further, wrapping his arms around Ryou.  Gently, Ryou smiled at him and gave him a soft kiss on his lips, and then on all of the parts of Yami’s face, his cheeks, his chin, his forehead, and the tip of his nose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The red on Yami’s cheeks returned in full with each kiss and he leaned into Ryou, glancing at his reactions as he leaned in to sniff at Ryou’s scenting glands.  Ryou stiffened suddenly, his hand scratching at his own scenting glands like they itched on his skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami hesitated, leaning back and glancing at Ryou, who smiled and leaned in, bumping their noses together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami relaxed, unspooling in the bed, surrounded by warmth and Jonouchi’s fingers combing through his hair and Ryou and Anzu and Honda’s gentle kisses.  He didn’t deserve this, to take this from Yugi.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But as Jonouchi ran his fingers through his hair again and Honda kissed a sensitive spot along his jaw, Yami shivered in pleasure, and thoughts of how wrong this was vanished among all of the warmth.  He smiled, his cheeks still red as Anzu laid another kiss on them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi looked over the huddle in a ghostly form, and he smiled gleefully, clapping his hands together.  Everything had worked out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, all of his pack was together and there’d be nothing that could change that.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And now Yami Yugi has joined the pack.  Only...three more people to go, it seems.</p>
<p>As always, comments and feedback welcome.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Yugi grinned as he picked up the ringing phone.  “Hey, Anzu-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This isn’t Anzu!  Did you even look at who was calling you?”  Mokuba said, yelling into the phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Mokuba!”  Yugi said.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t expect you to call-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No duh, I figured that one out.  So tell me.  Is it true?”  Mokuba demanded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi blinked, holding the phone away from his ear as he stared at it for a moment before speaking into it again.  “Is what true?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba let out a frustrated sound.  “Is it true that you and those friends you hang out with are a pack now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, um, yes, yes it is…”  Yugi said, stumbling over his answer.  Besides him, Yami snickered as his ghostly arms wrapped around Yugi.  Yugi sent him a mild glare.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Like you would be any less awkward.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then it’s a good thing I’m not the one answering.”  Yami said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you didn’t tell me.”  Mokuba said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi and Yami winced in unison.  Oh, that was a very good point.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not like that, Mokuba.”  Yugi said, earnestly.  “We’ve all kind of...been caught up in each other?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi could feel Mokuba’s baby Kaiba glare-which wasn’t equal to his brother’s yet, but would probably be intimidating if he ever grew near Kaiba’s height-even over the phone line.  Then Mokuba sighed, and the tension released.  “Fine,” he grumbled.  “But!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But what?”  Yugi asked, twirling the phone line around his fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have to visit me and my big brother.  We’re going to have a game night, and all of your pack is coming.”  Mokuba said firmly, a statement and not a request.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi and Yami glanced at each other and then Yugi spoke into the phone again.  “Would your brother really want us at your house?”  He asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba hesitated.  “You know how my brother is,” he said, “but I want you there, and aren’t we friends?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d pulled out the big guns and dropped the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend</span>
  </em>
  <span>, which Yami had been half-certain was physically impossible for a Kaiba to say.  Yugi tried to muffle his snickers at that stray thought, and thankfully, he succeeded.  Mostly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <span>All right, Mokuba.”  Yugi agreed, and Mokuba grinned on the other end of the line.  “When?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba gave him the time and told him one of his butlers would be by the game shop to pick everyone up, and then he slammed the phone down, snickering.  Walking over to the door of his brother’s office at home, he knocked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enter,” his brother called out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba swung open the door, a bounce in his step.  “I’m holding a game night at the mansion this weekend,” he said, widening his eyes in preparation to make his pitch.  “Can you come?  At least for a part of it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba glanced up and narrowed his eyes.  “Who did you invite.”  He already had a sneaking suspicion of who.  And if that was the case, Mokuba would be in so much trouble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba shrugged innocently.  “Some friends of mine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And do these friends of yours happen to include </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”  Kaiba said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba bit his lip, and Kaiba knew he had him.  Kaiba scoffed and turned back to his computer.  “Those people are not entering my mansion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you could gauge Yugi’s abilities.”  Mokuba said.  “Seeing him play other games will help you know how he thinks, right?  And that’ll help you when you duel him again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think I can’t win a duel against him without that?”  Kaiba asked icily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think you take every opportunity to learn more about your opponents.”  Mokuba said, giving Kaiba a grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba’s fingers paused in their endless typing on his laptop.  “Fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba jumped up.  “You won’t regret this, I promise!”  He said as he dashed from the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba stared after him, his face growing more exhausted as he lowered it with a thunk onto his desk.  “I think I already do.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>The limo pulled up in front of the Kame Game Shop, and Mokuba thanked the driver before leaving quickly.  He hesitated for a moment outside the door before shaking his head and swinging it open.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi was pacing wildly across the floor, Yugi talking to him in soothing tones.  Honda was trying to help Yugi, but both of their words were falling on deaf ears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba winced.  Jonouchi and his brother had never gotten along, and that could be a problem.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Could be?</span>
  </em>
  <span>  Mokuba thought to himself, looking at how agitated Jonouchi was.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Definitely will be</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes roamed across the rest of the room until they fell on Anzu and Ryou, sitting on the couch next to each other.  Ryou looked nervous, his hair falling in front of his face, and Anzu was giving Jonouchi a glare, her shoulders tensing.  She crossed her arms, shoving herself off the couch and marched over to him.  Jonouchi turned to her, slumping, perhaps, as he realized how outnumbered he was in the argument.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And none of them had even noticed his arrival.  Mokuba rolled his eyes.  Idiots.  He cleared his throat, and altogether, the group turned to him.  Anzu’s face changed to a smile, almost motherly and it made Mokuba feel…he wasn’t sure exactly.  Ryou brushed his hair back again, and Jonouchi dropped out of his aggressive posture, becoming more relaxed.  Honda casually waved at him.  Yugi beamed.  “Mokuba!”  He said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba crossed his arms.  “You all better be ready for our game night!”  He declared.  “Or else my brother will crush you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about you?”  Jonouchi asked jokingly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba nodded with a mischievous grin.  “I’ll crush you too!  You better bring your best game, or else you won’t even make it fun!”  Mokuba laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi’s eye twitched.  “Sometimes he reminds me that he’s a Kaiba.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyways,” Yugi interrupted, sweating, “thank you for inviting us, Mokuba.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, thanks,” Honda said, Anzu nodding along.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Ryou said softly from the couch, “we appreciate it.”  Mokuba glanced over at him, considering him for a moment.  He’d done a full background check on Yugi and his pack before even thinking about inviting them over, but Ryou…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryou had not been there to help with the virtual world.  He hadn’t even been there when Yugi dueled Kaiba for the first time, and yet at Duelist Kingdom he was suddenly there after the finals.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not to mention...his history.  He lived alone at an apartment, and even the records Mokuba could find weren’t clear on what happened to his father.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba turned back to Yugi, resolving to keep an eye on Ryou Bakura.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s get going!”  Mokuba said, turning and running over to the door, the limousine still waiting outside.  “After all, it’s best to not keep my brother waiting!”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“Oh great.”  Kaiba groaned.  “I was hoping you wouldn’t show.”  He sat, arms crossed, on one of the chairs gathered around a table.  A fire flickered in the fireplace on the far wall, and otherwise the decor was tasteful yet limited.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was impossible to miss the absence of personal touches-no photographs of family on the table, on the mantle over the fireplace, or hung on the walls, no mess left out on the table, and no personal decorations.  All of the decor could have been placed by an interior designer rather than Kaiba himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For all Yugi’s pack knew, it had been.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi chuckled and took a step forward, Yami floating out in his ghostly form beside him with undisguised curiosity and excitement, watching Kaiba.  “Could I take over?”  He asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“When we play the games, you can take over for some of them,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Yugi thought back, and Yami nodded, acquiescing to the idea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To Kaiba, Yugi began speaking, careful to be the first to speak out of all of his pack.  “Hello, Kaiba.  Thank you for inviting us.”  He said, giving him a nod and a smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba huffed.  “Mokuba invited you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ha!”  Jonouchi crowed.  “I knew it!  Pay up, Honda.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba’s gaze shifted to a glare at Jonouchi.  “I certainly wouldn’t invite a wet dog into my house.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi flipped him off, Yugi giving him a stern warning glance afterwards as all of them began to settle into the seats around the table, Jonouchi most reluctantly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba grinned and nodded, taking out board games and letting them spill across the table.  “We have Mouse Trap-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba wrinkled his nose in distaste.  “Why do we even have that game?  There’s no strategy to that, Mokuba.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, come on.  Can’t a game be just good fun?”  Jonouchi asked.  Honda reached up to squeeze his temples, and Ryou reached over to pat him on the shoulder sympathetically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba scowled.  “Of course you’d think that, mutt-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba cringed as Jonouchi began to rise from his seat, angry red rushing into his cheeks as Anzu tugged him back down.  “Anyways!”  He interrupted, sweating.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have Battleship, Monster Fighter, Monopoly,” all of Yugi’s pack shook their heads at that one, Anzu whispering a desperate ‘no’ under her breath, and Mokuba continued, “Clue, Dungeon Dice Monsters, Uno, Capsule Monsters, and Risk, to start out with.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Risk would be enjoyable.”  Kaiba said, smirking.  “We all know who could conquer the world the quickest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi sighed, and Yami took his place.  “Are you so sure of that, Kaiba?”  He returned with a smirk of his own, and Kaiba’s eyes met his as they stared each other down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Risk it is.”  Mokuba said, dropping the other boxes beneath the table and taking the lid off the red Risk game.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anzu lifted her hand reluctantly.  “Isn’t Risk for six players?”  She asked.  “There are seven of us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba grinned.  “I’ll stay out for the first game, then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure about that?”  Honda asked.  “We could find a game that all of us could play.”  Kaiba’s eyes flickered over to him and then to Mokuba.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, it’ll be fine.”  Mokuba said, smiling and trying to force down a laugh at how well his plan had begun to work.  “I’ll be getting some snacks for us!  Have fun, big brother!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba glared at him as he realized just what his brother had been planning with this whole game night.  Leaving him alone to play games with Yugi and </span>
  <em>
    <span>all his packmates.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mokuba.  You.  Are.  Dead.</span>
  </em>
  <span>  He tried his best to convey this with a glare, but Mokuba grinned and walked out of the room, even with a little bounce in his step.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oblivious as ever, the idiots glanced at each other and started taking out the game, laying out the board and the dice and the cards.  “What color do you want to be, Kaiba?”  Ryou asked.  “As the host, you should pick first.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba would admit he was surprised Jonouchi wasn’t acting more aggressive, but he leaned forward.  “Blue, of course.”  He said coldly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All of the other colors were sorted out, and the game began.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Twenty armies for each of us.”  Yugi said, counting out the pieces for each player.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Roll to see who goes first,” Anzu said, and all of them rolled as the die was passed around the table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi rolled highest, so with a grin he picked up his piece and considered the board.  “That means I get to claim territory first, right, Yugi?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” he said, nodding, as Kaiba huffed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi set his piece down with a satisfied nod on Japan.  Likewise, they went around the board, each claiming an unoccupied territory on the board with an army piece.  Honda tried to set up a fortress in Australia.  Ryou looked at the board nervously and took Brazil.  Kaiba scoffed and took a territory in Australia on his turn.  Anzu sighed and took a territory in Europe.  The Other Yugi considered the board carefully, taking longer than anyone else, before seemingly arbitrarily deciding on Central America.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All of them picked out unclaimed territories until, after seven rounds of picking, each territory of the board was filled with a piece from one of them.  The Other Yugi glanced over the board.  Jonouchi had picked almost randomly, and yet that might have been the most devastating to the other players, who were hoping to create a fortress of their own territory and their plans disrupted because of Jonouchi’s picks.  Honda had tried to create the infamous Australia fortress, since Australia had only one entry point and it was ideal for defense, but he only managed to claim two of the territories, Jonouchi and Kaiba holding the others.  Forced out, he had claimed land in Asia instead, bordering Australia.  Ryou had tried to set up in South America, but the Other Yugi was already on his metaphorical doorstep because he had taken Central America, and Jonouchi had managed to nab a territory in South America too.  Kaiba had been aggressive from the start, working on Asia and Africa.  Anzu had claimed most of Europe, but that would hardly be defensible once the game began.  The Other Yugi had focused on North America, and his eyes narrowed as he considered whether to begin by shoring up his defenses or by starting out with an offensive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now we reinforce our positions by placing more armies in territories.”  Anzu said.  Kaiba rolled his eyes and Anzu took a deep breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi scattered his still.  The Other Yugi gave him a look and then decided that yes, that was his strategy.  Honda put his troops and angled to take Australia, Ryou following his lead and reinforcing South America.  Kaiba put his troops out and eyed any territory that bordered his, especially those others had failed to reinforce.  Anzu slumped as she lined the borders of Europe with troops, but even that left weak points in her defense.  The Other Yugi’s eyes narrowed as he reinforced his defenses, but that also let him prepare to launch an offensive attack, turning his head to look thoughtfully at Ryou’s South America.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m surprised you’ve gone this long without some stupid lame speech about the power of friendship.”  Kaiba said, breaking the silence as he glanced at the clock.  Setup alone had taken fifteen minutes.  Mokuba had not, in fact, returned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was going to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  How long did a game of Risk take?  Hours, Kaiba thought as he glumly considered it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Other Yugi was looking up at him and grinning at his words, and Kaiba mentally reviewed what he had said.  Even the others were looking at him.  Anzu was sighing, Jonouchi gleefully rubbing his hands together, Honda looking determined, and Ryou putting on what Yugi’s pack would call his Game Master face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kaiba, when it comes to Risk, there are no friends.”  The Other Yugi said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Kaiba looked over at Anzu.  She threw her hands up in the air.  “The way these guys play?  It’s true.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The way these guys play,” Jonouchi muttered.  “As if you didn’t stab me in the back last time we played Monopoly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All is fair in love and war, Jonouchi.”  Ryou said, nodding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Monopoly isn’t even about war!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, Risk is.”  Honda pointed out.  “So by that logic, all is fair in this game.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Other Yugi scowled.  “If any of you are thinking of cheating…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All of them shook their heads.  “Nope.”  Jonouchi said.  “We all know better than to cheat in any game with you, because you’ll bite our heads off.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Other Yugi leaned back in his seat with a nod.  “Then, Jonouchi, I believe it is your turn.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah.”  Jonouchi said.  “It is.”  He leaned over the board.  “Wait, what do I do again?”  Kaiba rolled his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You get armies equal to a third of your territory plus bonuses for continents.”  Yugi said.  “But no one’s managed to conquer a continent yet,” he said, frowning at the board.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will soon.”  Ryou muttered, glaring at Jonouchi’s territory in South America.  It was the sole territory in that continent that he hadn’t conquered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi gave him a grin.  “We’ll just see how this game turns out!"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba stared at the board and then up at the innocent, smiling face hovering over the gameboard.  “That was fun!”  Ryou said, clapping his hands together.  “Let’s play again sometime.”  The Other Yugi also gave him a glare, and Yugi quickly slipped back into control as the Other Yugi went off to sulk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi’s packmates had played plenty of games with him, and they knew how to wait for Kaiba and the Other Yugi to tire themselves out against each other and then strike down the one that remained as their biggest opponent.  They'd worked together against a common enemy while building up their own forces and preparing to take each other out, given how powerful Ryou’s fortress in South America and Honda’s stronghold in Australia became.  Anzu had been close to victory as well, cutting into Asia when Kaiba had been weakened.  If it hadn’t resulted in him losing, Kaiba would almost be impressed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba then turned to glare at Yugi, who, despite Ryou winning, had been the one to take him out.  Yugi rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.  “You should have won.”  Kaiba hissed.  “How dare you win against me and then lose to </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”  Ryou flinched at the harsh words, and Yugi frowned slightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He won on his own merits.  Even I can’t win every game.”  Yugi said, brushing his hand over the Millennium Puzzle.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Nor can you, I should note.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Puzzle pulsed back, sending brooding and sulking feelings his way.  Yugi sighed and turned back to Kaiba.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was fun,” He said, smiling.  “Thank you for inviting us, Kaiba.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mokuba</span>
  </em>
  <span> invited you.”  And he would be grounded, Kaiba thought as Yugi leaned forward, those violet eyes wide and disgustingly hopeful as his blonde bangs curled around his face.  He almost looked like an omega like that, all soft and harmless-looking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, thanks Kaiba.”  Jonouchi muttered, looking down at the ground.  “It was fun.”  All of the rest of the group started murmuring their thanks as well, and Kaiba leveled a glare at all of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then get out of my house.”  Kaiba said, his eyes narrowed,  Anzu rose up from the couch gracefully, her brown hair sliding across her shoulders.  Honda groaned as he got up, Ryou following him.  Jonouchi gave him a glare before standing up and helping Yugi to his feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The group began heading out, Kaiba’s narrowed eyes following them as Yugi chose to linger behind.  “Kaiba, I know you might not trust us,” he said earnestly, his wide purple eyes looking up at Kaiba as his blonde bangs fell over his face.  “But we…”  He hesitated, one finger trailing over the edge of his golden pendant.  “We would like it if you invited us again.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba grunted.  Yugi took that as an answer, nodding with a smile as he bounded out the door, Jonouchi calling for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba, as if on cue, popped out with a bowl of chips.  “Oh, they left already.”  He frowned in mock disappointment.  Kaiba gave him a look, and Mokuba shrugged, plopping down on the couch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How’d it go?”  Mokuba asked, and he glanced over the board, wincing as he saw it covered by black pieces.  “Yugi won, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ryou.”  Kaiba grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mokuba paused as he put the face to the name.  “The white-haired one?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba frowned as he swiped the pieces off the board.  “I know what you’re trying to do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me?”  Mokuba widened his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don't want to be part of their </span>
  <em>
    <span>pack</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Mokuba.”  Kaiba said.  “Do you think I really want to listen to so many friendship speeches and be so disgustingly sweet?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?”  Mokuba said.  “Why have you started going to school again, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba’s fingers clenched.  “Why did you let me invite them over?”  Mokuba continued.  “Why do you let me be friends with them?  You never let me be friends with just anyone, you know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enough, Mokuba.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“NO!”  Mokuba snapped back, and Kaiba flinched in surprise.  “I’m sick of watching you make yourself miserable for my sake!  You’re going to be happy, big brother, and you won’t stop me.  And if that means their pack-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t trust anyone but you, Mokuba!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can trust them, and you know it!”  Kaiba fell silent as Mokuba stormed out, the door swinging behind, his footsteps echoing loudly as he stomped across the floor.  Kaiba sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I’m taking these with me.”  Mokuba darted back in, snatching the bowl of chips, and went back out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba squeezed his temples.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"What do ya think we’re here for, Kaiba?  We’re here to save your butt.”  Jonouch grinned down at him in that stupid barbarian outfit; why had he even programmed that into the game?  Kaiba’s eyes followed down the edge of the costume before he glared into Jonouchi’s eyes.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Who would need your help, mutt?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Enough.”  Yugi, that Yugi with the red eyes, that passion he faced on the dueling field, stepped forward.  “Mokuba asked for our help, and we gave it.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And then, Jonouchi had taken that attack...on a mission to save him.  He could have died...and why?  Kaiba had always thought that idiot hated him.  Every word Kaiba had ever given him was an insult.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Honda and Anzu were there as well.  They’d stood up to armed men, making their stand in the virtual pod room as they blocked off the door and held it fast, standing guard over their friends.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba scowled as he slammed a hand down on the board.  “I’ve been listening to too many of their friendship speeches.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, Kaiba’s at school again today.”  Yugi said, trying not to look over or let on that he was talking about him.  Kaiba’s face was buried in a book, but he hadn’t turned the page in the last few minutes, so Yugi felt sure he was only pretending.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That rich bastard.”  Jonouchi muttered, leaning against Yugi’s desk.  “I thought after your duel with him, Yug, he stopped coming here.  And the teachers let him get away with it because he’s rich as all hell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know, Jonouchi.”  Yugi said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anzu sighed.  “We can’t do anything about Kaiba.  We all know he will bite our heads off if we ask.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He invited us over for that game night, so he can’t be that bad…”  Ryou said, playing with his hair.  All of the rest of them looked at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He can be that bad,” Honda said.  “But he’s better now, at least, since Yami did whatever he did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s not talk about that jerk.”  Jonouchi said.  “We’re still on for the arcade this afternoon, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.”  Yugi said.  “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All right!”  Jonouchi pumped his fist as he bumped against Yugi’s shoulder.  “Let’s beat more of that Kaiba’s high scores!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As if you could.”  Kaiba muttered, scoffing into the pages of his book as Anzu leaned closer to Jonouchi, teasing him with a smirk on her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled up the arcade scores on his phone, knowing that Japan kept a shared database of all the scores in all the arcades of Japan.  Scrolling through them, he noted the long line of KAI down the list.  He smirked until his eyes came to rest on one.  One disruption to his perfect record.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Three letters stared back at him.  ANZ.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked up and his glare fell across the group.  It had taken more effort than most of the arcade games to hone his physical abilities to get the high score in a dancing game, and he had to practice in private at his mansion, refusing to let the tabloids see him dance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba looked up, his eyes sliding over to the group.  Mazaki Anzu.  ANZ.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course it was them.  Of course it was.  He resisted slamming his head into his desk, but just barely.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“A voicemail?”  Yugi stared down at the phone as he pressed a button and let it play.  Kaiba’s voice came out of the speaker, and he groaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yugi?”  The spirit asked curiously.  “I thought we put a message in our voicemail telling him he had to challenge us to duel in person.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yugi.”  Kaiba  sounded like he was gritting his teeth at having to make this phone call.  “You went to the arcade with your friends earlier.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes?”  Yugi said hesitantly before his eyes widened.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh, don’t tell me this is about the high scores.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He cares about those high scores?”  Yami said, leaning in.  “I thought he got those for prestige and focused on Duel Monsters, but I should have known better about my rival.  We both have a true passion for games.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You and your friends beat my high scores.  Get over here so I can defend my title as the true King of Games.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The voicemail ended with a click and Yugi stared at the phone, contemplating his life.  “Did Kaiba just invite </span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span> to play games with him?  I think he even included Jonouchi in that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It seems he did,” Yami said, and there was no mistaking that look of eagerness in his eyes as he turned to Yugi.  “Are we going?”  Yugi had the fleeting impression of a puppy giving a cute look to beg before he shook his head to jar it from his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll have to check with everyone else,” Yugi said.  “But Anzu, at least, will be eager to take on a dancing challenge.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami’s eyes lit up, and Yugi knew they were going to go over to Kaiba’s soon enough.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Honda leaned forward, tongue poking out of his mouth as he focused on the screen, his virtual gun flashing with every shot he fired.  Kaiba stood upright next to him as his fingers flew over the controls.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi was biting his lip to keep himself quiet, even as he shook with enthusiasm, mentally cheering for Honda as much as he could.  Yami’s eyes focused on the game and intensely watched the two players.  Every time one of them made a good move, he made an “ah!” sound and his eyes lit up.  Anzu tried to keep her eyes on the game between the two, but every once in a while her eyes flickered over to the dancing game pushed to the side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryou gave the others a mischievous grin as he leaned forward, right next to Honda, and pressed a kiss to the side of his neck.  Honda stiffened as his fingers slipped on the controls, leading to him getting shot and his avatar falling to the ground, dramatically tumbling to lie dead on the rooftop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ryou!”  Honda hissed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryou smiled and blew a raspberry against Honda’s scenting glands, as he sniffed and inhaled Honda’s metallicy scent.  “What?”  He whispered innocently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba’s eyes slid over, watching as Ryou nuzzled into the side of Honda’s neck and then gently kissing his cheek,  Heat settled into Kaiba’s stomach, as he wrenched his eyes away to look at the screen again.  Ryou was pretty.  Kaiba had eyes, and even he couldn’t deny it.  His white hair sparkled in the light and framed his eyes.  His face was soft, gentle, even with the hints of guardedness in his eyes.  Kaiba shook himself and looked back at the screen just soon enough to see his character die, shot by a sniper Kaiba hadn’t spotted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryou giggled softly, and Kaiba wanted to feel the rage that he could before, be angry with him for interrupting the game, but that soft sound took the wind out of those sails.  He frowned as his character respawned on the screen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then he felt the hair tickle against his neck.  Black and red.  He stiffened.  “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yugi</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”  He said, putting as much irritation as he could into that name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami leaned back slightly-not far enough for Kaiba’s tastes.  “You-”  He cut himself off, not sure what to say.  Yami wasn’t even touching him, but he was too close, and Kaiba could feel his skin warm, and his scenting glands ached.  Kaiba jerked his head away to focus on the screen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He breathed in and out as the round ended with his narrow victory.  Next to him, Yami grinned.  “That was amazing, Kaiba.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Honda gave Ryou a brief glare before crossing his arms.  “Yeah, good job, Kaiba.”  Kaiba narrowed his eyes at him, debating whether or not Honda was simply making fun of him, before turning to the dance game in the corner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mutt.  Move that for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi scowled.  “I’m not a dog, Kaiba!”  He grinned.  “But I’d like to see you dance.  No way can you do it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you so sure of that...</span>
  <em>
    <span>mutt</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”  Kaiba smirked.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba and Anzu both tensed in the moments before the music began.  Jonouchi leaned forward, his eyes narrowed.  The first notes played, and both of the two burst into motion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anzu’s movements were graceful, the product of having trained all her life.  Every move seemed to flow smoothly into the next, without a moment’s hesitation to consider or pause.  As natural as breathing to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seto Kaiba was different, more awkward in his long limbs than she was.  But he moved with confidence Anzu didn’t have.  It was like the way he walked.  There was no shying away, no backing down, no making himself look smaller or weaker.  He was Seto Kaiba, and unapologetically so.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jonouchi’s eyes followed Kaiba’s moves, and he grunted in disappointment.  “Damn,” Jonouchi said, unable to quite stop looking, “he actually is good.”  He stiffened and covered his mouth.  It didn’t matter.  Kaiba had heard him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi, having switched places with his other self, looked at both of the two dancers.  “I know what you mean,” he said, nodding, as another of Anzu’s smooth gestures drew his eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anzu brought her foot down after a twirl and grinned as the game counted up their scores.  “Looks like I won, Kaiba,” she said, and then paused, not sure what his reaction would be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba shot a glare at the screen.  “So you did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t say anything more after that, and Anzu shuffled uncertainly, glancing at Yugi.  Yugi stepped forward, and then Kaiba chose to speak.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmph.  The games are over, Yugi.”  Kaiba smirked.  “Don’t worry, I’ll have my duel with you, but at a more auspicious place and time, where the world can see me defeat you and regain my title of King of Games.  Now you and your friends can leave.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Honda looked over at Yugi, and Yugi nodded slightly, Honda tugging Jonouchi along with him as Ryou and Anzu left alongside them, Anzu glancing back worriedly.  “Kaiba.  I don’t understand you, not in the way the other me can.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The other you?”  Kaiba asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Puzzle glowed, and Yami emerged to face Kaiba.  “Kaiba, don’t pretend you haven’t noticed.  Especially with...what happened at Duelist Kingdom.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm.  You’re the duelist I face on the battlefield.”  Kaiba said.  His eyes narrowed.  “I remember that duel well, Yugi.  You don't need to remind me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yami.”  He said.  “That’s what I call myself.  All I truly know is that I came into this world after Yugi solved the Millennium Puzzle,” he put a hand on the amulet around his neck, “and I am his other self, and I am pack.”  Yami smiled softly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Get to your point.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The puzzle glowed again as Yugi returned.  “Kaiba.  If you want to be pack, we would welcome you too.  Even Jonouchi.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba’s hands clenched into fists.  “You-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s all I have to say.”  Yugi said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Get out.”  Kaiba growled, his voice dipping lower and pheromones beginning to fill the room.  Yugi smelled the anger, frustration, and even hatred from that scent of Kaiba’s, but there was something even deeper there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi wanted to say something, but the puzzle spirit beside him shook his head.  “Let’s go, Yugi,” he said, soft and unheard by anyone except Yugi himself.  “He won’t hear us right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yugi bit his lip as he left, leaving Kaiba behind to stew in his anger.  A hand swept outwards, knocking the game console against the wall where it shattered into plastic pieces, electricity sparking from broken wires.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Packs are weakness packs are weakness packs are weakness packs are </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>weakness</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaiba stilled himself, stopping his pheromones that were being released.  “That’s right.  Power...can only be found on your own.  In your own strength.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There's no power in unity...or friendship...or </span>
  <em>
    <span>packs</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay so this chapter is out.  Side note: It never ceases to amuse me how all games in the ygoverse are monster themed, with Monster Fighter, Dungeon Dice Monsters, Capsule Monsters...<br/>There are probably non monster-themed games in the manga but yeah games in the ygoverse are disproportionately about monsters.<br/>Also the Yugitachi take board games Very Seriously.  Fact.  Like not seriously like Kaiba, but more they get really into it.</p>
<p>As always, comments, questions, concrit, welcome.  Oh, and check me out on tumblr as The Dork Magician Girl.  (I still can't believe no one took that tumblr name before me but their loss).</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, they haven't all gotten together yet...but this is a start, right?</p>
<p>Anyways.  Keep an eye for that worldbuilding info work if you're interested in that.  Check me out on tumblr as the Dork Magician Girl.  And as always, I welcome comments, feedback, and constructive criticism.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>